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Reza Rasoulpour, Vice President, Regulatory and Stewardship and R&D Sustainability at Corteva Agriscience, joined Conference Producer Louise Crauet for a Q&A ahead of the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London. They explored how Corteva is supporting farmers through cutting-edge R&D, innovative solutions like biologicals and multi-disease resistant crops, collaborative partnerships, and sustainable practices.

Q: Corteva is investing heavily in cutting-edge R&D. Could you share one or two current projects that are especially exciting – and what kind of real-world impact you expect?

Reza: "Corteva’s work in biologicals is especially exciting right now. We’re leveraging advanced metabologenomics to screen more than 725,000 microbial strains, dramatically accelerating our ability to discover novel biocontrol agents and natural products. This platform is already delivering candidates that are more targeted, sustainable, and scalable than traditional chemistries. This opens up more potential to help farmers manage pests and diseases with fewer environmental impacts."

"Another area of focus is multi-disease resistance. By combining genomics, data science, and field validation, we’re developing crop varieties that can withstand multiple threats at once. The real-world impact? More resilient harvests, reduced pressure on timing of crop protection application, and greater security for farmers facing unpredictable conditions."

Q: What are some specific challenges you've faced in turning scientific discovery into scalable solutions for farmers and how are you tackling them?  

Reza: "Biologicals are incredibly promising, but they’re also complex. They behave differently across crops, climates, and soil types. To tackle this, we’ve built a dedicated biologicals R&D team that integrates formulation, regulatory, and field validation from the start. It’s helping us move faster and with greater confidence toward scalable solutions."

"Translating lab insights into field performance is another hurdle. That’s why we use controlled environments in our greenhouses to mimic growing conditions from around the world, followed by localized testing at more than 100 field sites. This ensures our products deliver consistent results, accounting for the critical interaction between genetics and the environment."

Q: Corteva works closely with academic institutions, startups, and farmers. Could you share a partnership model or case study that really worked?  

Reza: "One of the most compelling examples of our partnership-driven approach is the Genlytix™ ecosystem. At its core, Genlytix exists to accelerate the responsible advancement of gene editing in agriculture. We recognized early on that the complexity and potential of gene editing demand a collaborative ecosystem, one that brings together academic researchers, startups, farmers, NGOs, and industry partners."

"Why is this so important? Because gene editing isn’t just a technical breakthrough. It’s a transformative tool that can address some of agriculture’s biggest challenges, from climate resilience to food security. But realizing its full potential requires diverse expertise and broad stakeholder engagement, along with a harmonized, risk-proportionate, and science-based global regulatory system."

"Through Genlytix, we’re able to rapidly discover and validate new traits, integrate cutting-edge technologies, and ensure that innovations are not only scientifically sound but also practical and scalable for growers. This ecosystem approach creates a continuous feedback loop: insights from the field inform research, and new discoveries are quickly tested and refined in real-world conditions."

"Ultimately, Genlytix is about making gene editing accessible, effective, and trusted. As an ecosystem of partners, we are laser focused on delivering solutions that are shaped by the needs of farmers and the realities of agriculture, while upholding the highest standards of stewardship and transparency."

With technologies such as AI and metagenetics gaining traction, how is Corteva integrating external innovation and preparing for the next wave of agri-tech disruption?  

Reza: "We’re integrating AI across our R&D pipeline, from trait prediction to metabolite modeling. Our latest models predict microbial metabolite structures with seven times greater accuracy and a thousand times the speed of traditional methods. This allows us to prioritize the most promising candidates and reduce time to field."

"Metagenetics is reshaping our understanding of soil microbiomes. By adapting tools from human health, we’re mapping microbial interactions and designing next-generation biologicals. Through our Corteva Catalyst™ initiative, we’re also investing in startups focused on synthetic biology and precision delivery. For us, the future of agri-tech isn’t just about disruption, it’s about convergence -- bringing together the best ideas from across the ecosystem to deliver real value for farmers."

Join the Conversation in London

Hear more at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London, September 22–23, where Reza will be interviewed on the main stage by Christine Gould, CEO of GIGA, to discuss 'Translating Scientific Breakthroughs into Agricultural Innovation'.

Will you be there alongside 800+ agri-food leaders at the InterContinental London – The O2?
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